1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the production of comestibles. More specifically it is concerned with a candy product which is rendered noncariogenic through the use of a novel specific nutritive sweetening system and optionally through use of a unique carboxylic acid system that does not decalcify the enamel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art has long sought a means to compensate for the cariogenic potential of comestibles, particularly foods containing high preponderances of nutritive sweeteners such as sucrose and other sugars and acids which erode tooth enamel and dentin. It has been theorized that when sugars are placed in the mouth, they combine with acid-producing bacteria to form lactic, fumaric, and other acids which promote dental caries.
A contributing cause of dental caries in children is the adherence of highly refined sugars and their decomposition products to the dental plaque after ingestion, coupled with the slow rate of oral clearance, or the ability to produce high amounts of acid, or combinations of such factors.
A number of anticariogenic agents have been evaluated in the past in systems wherein the agent is applied or consumed topically (i.e., directly on the teeth) in the form of a dentifrice (e.g., a toothpaste or a toothpowder). However, knowledge gained on the anticariogenic effectiveness of agents used in such topical applications has not permitted prediction of efficacy for these anticariogenic agents in other applications, such as in foods, and particularly in foods containing a substantial portion of sugars.
Unfortunately, known anticariogenic agents have in general not provided any substantial degree of protection when used in foodstuffs. Thus, known anticariogenic agents such as fluorides, phosphates, vitamin K, nitrofurans, ammonium compounds, iodoacetic acid and the like, when added separately to a foodstuff containing a high percentage of sugar, have little direct topical effect in a foodstuff environment.
Accordingly, the primary object of this invention is to provide means for overcoming the disadvantages of the prior art approaches to reducing the dental caries potential of sugar containing foodstuffs.
A related object is to provide a new nutritive sweetening system for use in candies in place of the sweetening systems heretofore employed.
A still further object is to provide new noncariogenic candies.